Wexford missing Mattie as Fermanagh victorious

Fermanagh 2-12 Wexford 0-11

Fermanagh coasted through to the fourth round of the SFC Qualifiers with a seven-point win over a Wexford team forced to do without the suspended Mattie Forde.

Goals from Ciaran O'Reilly and Eamon Maguire sealed it for the Erne men, who struggled for long periods of the first half before finally getting the measure of Paul Bealin's side.

Three ahead inside 10 minutes through points from Tom Brewster (2) and Ciaran O'Reilly, the Erne men soon discovered that they had quite a contest on their hands.

The first of a series of spectacular Wexford points from play came from skipper Ciaran Deely.

Diarmuid Kinsella was the man chosen to take over the free-kicking duties so expertly carried out by Forde season after season.

And while he did plant a couple between the posts, there were a few misses that the suspended former Allstar would surely have made count.

Nevertheless, Paul Bealin's men took the lead for the first time in the 20th minute when the busy Deely sent Paddy Colfer in to score.

A Brewster free had the home side back in front with 10 minutes to play, but Kinsella's second free brought them level for the fourth time.

But on the stroke of half-time, Ciaran O'Reilly blasted home a penalty after full-back Philip Wallace had been penalised for a foot block on Mark Murphy.

The score gave the Ulster men a 1-6 to 0-6 interval lead, and with the aid of free-kickers O'Reilly and Brewster, they stretched the advantage to seven points within five minutes of the restart.

As Wexford continued to struggle for scores, Fermanagh full back Barry Owens heroically blocked his opposite number Philip Wallace, giving Eric Bradley to get his side's first point of the half from the resultant '45' to end a 23-minute barren spell.

Substitute Liam Murphy quickly added another to give the Model county a glimmer of hope, but Fermanagh were able to react to the threat with scores from James Sherry and Adrian Little.

Wexford refused to give up, and despite the terrific defensive work of Owens and Ryan McCloskey, they pegged back two more scores, from Shane Cullen, and another '45', sweetly struck by Bradley.

Their brave challenge was finally killed off three minutes from the end when Eamon Maguire delightfully chipped 'keeper John Cooper for the Erne side's second goal.